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The Selvagens Islands, which are a marine protected area located at the southernmost point of the Portuguese maritime zone, have been associated with fish harboring ciguatoxins (CTX) and linked to ciguatera fish poisonings. This study reports the results of a field sampling campaign carried out in September 2018 in these remote and rarely surveyed islands. Fifty-six fish specimens from different trophic levels were caught for CTX-like toxicity determination by cell-based assay (CBA) and toxin content analysis by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Notably, high toxicity levels were found in fish with an intermediate position in the food web, such as zebra seabream (Diplodus cervinus) and barred hogfish (Bodianus scrofa), reaching levels up to 0.75 µg CTX1B equivalent kg−1. The LC-MS/MS analysis confirmed that C-CTX1 was the main toxin, but discrepancies between CBA and LC-MS/MS in D. cervinus and top predator species, such as the yellowmouth barracuda (Sphyraena viridis) and amberjacks (Seriola spp.), suggest the presence of fish metabolic products, which need to be further elucidated. This study confirms that fish from coastal food webs of the Selvagens Islands represent a high risk of ciguatera, raising important issues for fisheries and environmental management of the Selvagens Islands.
Pedro Reis Costa; Pablo Estévez; Lucía Soliño; David Castro; Susana Margarida Rodrigues; Viriato Timoteo; José Manuel Leao-Martins; Carolina Santos; Neide Gouveia; Jorge Diogène; Ana Gago-Martínez. An Update on Ciguatoxins and CTX-like Toxicity in Fish from Different Trophic Levels of the Selvagens Islands (NE Atlantic, Madeira, Portugal). Toxins 2021, 13, 580 .
AMA StylePedro Reis Costa, Pablo Estévez, Lucía Soliño, David Castro, Susana Margarida Rodrigues, Viriato Timoteo, José Manuel Leao-Martins, Carolina Santos, Neide Gouveia, Jorge Diogène, Ana Gago-Martínez. An Update on Ciguatoxins and CTX-like Toxicity in Fish from Different Trophic Levels of the Selvagens Islands (NE Atlantic, Madeira, Portugal). Toxins. 2021; 13 (8):580.
Chicago/Turabian StylePedro Reis Costa; Pablo Estévez; Lucía Soliño; David Castro; Susana Margarida Rodrigues; Viriato Timoteo; José Manuel Leao-Martins; Carolina Santos; Neide Gouveia; Jorge Diogène; Ana Gago-Martínez. 2021. "An Update on Ciguatoxins and CTX-like Toxicity in Fish from Different Trophic Levels of the Selvagens Islands (NE Atlantic, Madeira, Portugal)." Toxins 13, no. 8: 580.
Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin, considered an emerging toxin in Europe where recently a safety limit of 44 µg TTX kg−1 was recommended by authorities. In this study, three specimens of the large gastropod trumpet shell Charonia lampas bought in a market in south Portugal were analyzed using a neuroblastoma cell (N2a) based assay and by LC-MS/MS. N2a toxicity was observed in the viscera of two individuals analyzed and LC-MS/MS showed very high concentrations of TTX (42.1 mg kg−1) and 4,9-anhydroTTX (56.3 mg kg−1). A third compound with m/z 318 and structurally related with TTX was observed. In the edible portion, i.e., the muscle, toxin levels were below the EFSA recommended limit. This study shows that trumpet shell marine snails are seafood species that may reach the markets containing low TTX levels in the edible portion but containing very high levels of TTX in non-edible portion raising concerns regarding food safety if a proper evisceration is not carried out by consumers. These results highlight the need for better understanding TTX variability in this gastropod species, which is critical to developing a proper legal framework for resources management ensuring seafood safety, and the introduction of these gastropods in the markets.
Pedro Costa; Jorge Giráldez; Susana Rodrigues; José Leão; Estefanía Pinto; Lucía Soliño; Ana Gago-Martínez. High Levels of Tetrodotoxin (TTX) in Trumpet Shell Charonia lampas from the Portuguese Coast. Toxins 2021, 13, 250 .
AMA StylePedro Costa, Jorge Giráldez, Susana Rodrigues, José Leão, Estefanía Pinto, Lucía Soliño, Ana Gago-Martínez. High Levels of Tetrodotoxin (TTX) in Trumpet Shell Charonia lampas from the Portuguese Coast. Toxins. 2021; 13 (4):250.
Chicago/Turabian StylePedro Costa; Jorge Giráldez; Susana Rodrigues; José Leão; Estefanía Pinto; Lucía Soliño; Ana Gago-Martínez. 2021. "High Levels of Tetrodotoxin (TTX) in Trumpet Shell Charonia lampas from the Portuguese Coast." Toxins 13, no. 4: 250.
Natural high proliferations of toxin-producing microorganisms in marine and freshwater environments result in dreadful consequences at the socioeconomically and environmental level due to water and seafood contamination. Monitoring programs and scientific evidence point to harmful algal blooms (HABs) increasing in frequency and intensity as a result of global climate alterations. Among marine toxins, the okadaic acid (OA) and the related dinophysistoxins (DTX) are the most frequently reported in EU waters, mainly in shellfish species. These toxins are responsible for human syndrome diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP). Fish, like other marine species, are also exposed to HABs and their toxins. However, reduced attention has been given to exposure, accumulation, and effects on fish of DSP toxins, such as OA. The present review intends to summarize the current knowledge of the impact of DSP toxins and to identify the main issues needing further research. From data reviewed in this work, it is clear that exposure of fish to DSP toxins causes a range of negative effects, from behavioral and morphological alterations to death. However, there is still much to be investigated about the ecological and food safety risks related to contamination of fish with DSP toxins.
Mauro Corriere; Lucía Soliño; Pedro Costa. Effects of the Marine Biotoxins Okadaic Acid and Dinophysistoxins on Fish. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2021, 9, 293 .
AMA StyleMauro Corriere, Lucía Soliño, Pedro Costa. Effects of the Marine Biotoxins Okadaic Acid and Dinophysistoxins on Fish. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2021; 9 (3):293.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Corriere; Lucía Soliño; Pedro Costa. 2021. "Effects of the Marine Biotoxins Okadaic Acid and Dinophysistoxins on Fish." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 9, no. 3: 293.
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are among the most severe ecological marine problems worldwide. Under favorable climate and oceanographic conditions, toxin-producing microalgae species may proliferate, reach increasingly high cell concentrations in seawater, accumulate in shellfish, and threaten the health of seafood consumers. There is an urgent need for the development of effective tools to help shellfish farmers to cope and anticipate HAB events and shellfish contamination, which frequently leads to significant negative economic impacts. Statistical and machine learning forecasting tools have been developed in an attempt to better inform the shellfish industry to limit damages, improve mitigation measures and reduce production losses. This study presents a synoptic review covering the trends in machine learning methods for predicting HABs and shellfish biotoxin contamination, with a particular focus on autoregressive models, support vector machines, random forest, probabilistic graphical models, and artificial neural networks (ANN). Most efforts have been attempted to forecast HABs based on models of increased complexity over the years, coupled with increased multi-source data availability, with ANN architectures in the forefront to model these events. The purpose of this review is to help defining machine learning-based strategies to support shellfish industry to manage their harvesting/production, and decision making by governmental agencies with environmental responsibilities.
Rafaela Cruz; Pedro Reis Costa; Susana Vinga; Ludwig Krippahl; Marta Lopes. A Review of Recent Machine Learning Advances for Forecasting Harmful Algal Blooms and Shellfish Contamination. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2021, 9, 283 .
AMA StyleRafaela Cruz, Pedro Reis Costa, Susana Vinga, Ludwig Krippahl, Marta Lopes. A Review of Recent Machine Learning Advances for Forecasting Harmful Algal Blooms and Shellfish Contamination. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2021; 9 (3):283.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRafaela Cruz; Pedro Reis Costa; Susana Vinga; Ludwig Krippahl; Marta Lopes. 2021. "A Review of Recent Machine Learning Advances for Forecasting Harmful Algal Blooms and Shellfish Contamination." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 9, no. 3: 283.
Diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) are among the most prevalent marine toxins in Europe’s and in other temperate coastal regions. These toxins are produced by several dinoflagellate species; however, the contamination of the marine trophic chain is often attributed to species of the genus Dinophysis. This group of toxins, constituted by okadaic acid (OA) and analogous molecules (dinophysistoxins, DTXs), are highly harmful to humans, causing severe poisoning symptoms caused by the ingestion of contaminated seafood. Knowledge on the mode of action and toxicology of OA and the chemical characterization and accumulation of DSTs in seafood species (bivalves, gastropods and crustaceans) has significantly contributed to understand the impacts of these toxins in humans. Considerable information is however missing, particularly at the molecular and metabolic levels involving toxin uptake, distribution, compartmentalization and biotransformation and the interaction of DSTs with aquatic organisms. Recent contributions to the knowledge of DSTs arise from transcriptomics and proteomics research. Indeed, OMICs constitute a research field dedicated to the systematic analysis on the organisms’ metabolisms. The methodologies used in OMICs are also highly effective to identify critical metabolic pathways affecting the physiology of the organisms. In this review, we analyze the main contributions provided so far by OMICs to DSTs research and discuss the prospects of OMICs with regard to the DSTs toxicology and the significance of these toxins to public health, food safety and aquaculture.
Alexandre Campos; Marisa Freitas; André De Almeida; José Martins; Dany Domínguez-Pérez; Hugo Osório; Vitor Vasconcelos; Pedro Reis Costa. OMICs Approaches in Diarrhetic Shellfish Toxins Research. Toxins 2020, 12, 493 .
AMA StyleAlexandre Campos, Marisa Freitas, André De Almeida, José Martins, Dany Domínguez-Pérez, Hugo Osório, Vitor Vasconcelos, Pedro Reis Costa. OMICs Approaches in Diarrhetic Shellfish Toxins Research. Toxins. 2020; 12 (8):493.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexandre Campos; Marisa Freitas; André De Almeida; José Martins; Dany Domínguez-Pérez; Hugo Osório; Vitor Vasconcelos; Pedro Reis Costa. 2020. "OMICs Approaches in Diarrhetic Shellfish Toxins Research." Toxins 12, no. 8: 493.
The toxigenic dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata is known to produce a range of palytoxin (PLTX) - related compounds named ovatoxins (OVTX). O. cf. ovata presents a wide variability in toxin production and its toxic profile is strain-specific. Several OVTXs, denominated from -a to -h and -l have been reported from different strains of this benthic microalgae up to now, mainly in Mediterranean isolates. However, less is known about the toxin profile of the strains present in the Atlantic coasts of Europe. In this work, strains of O. cf. ovata isolated from the South coast of Portugal mainland (Algarve) and Selvagens Island (Madeira, Portugal) were cultured and tested for toxicity by hemolytic assay. Toxin profiles were qualitatively elucidated by Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (LC-HRMS). The strain from Algarve presented lower toxic potency than the strain from Selvagens island (12.3 against 54.8 pg of PLTX equivalents per cell) showing in both cases the characteristic toxin profile of Mediterranean strains. The major component, OVTX-a, was concomitant with OVTX from -b to -g and isobaric PLTX. Regarding the morphological characteristics of these strains, as well as their toxin fingerprint, it is likely they are closely related to strains from Mediterranean coasts. The present study reports for the first time the occurrence of several OVTX congeners and iso-PLTX in O. cf. ovata from Portuguese waters. This study provides valuable information to characterize the risk of OVTXs-related outbreaks in Portugal.
Lucía Soliño; María García-Altares; Lia Godinho; Pedro Reis Costa. Toxin profile of Ostreopsis cf. ovata from Portuguese continental coast and Selvagens Islands (Madeira, Portugal). Toxicon 2020, 181, 91 -101.
AMA StyleLucía Soliño, María García-Altares, Lia Godinho, Pedro Reis Costa. Toxin profile of Ostreopsis cf. ovata from Portuguese continental coast and Selvagens Islands (Madeira, Portugal). Toxicon. 2020; 181 ():91-101.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLucía Soliño; María García-Altares; Lia Godinho; Pedro Reis Costa. 2020. "Toxin profile of Ostreopsis cf. ovata from Portuguese continental coast and Selvagens Islands (Madeira, Portugal)." Toxicon 181, no. : 91-101.
Ciguatera poisoning (CP) is a common seafood intoxication mainly caused by the consumption of fish contaminated by ciguatoxins. Recent studies showed that Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 (C-CTX1) is the main toxin causing CP through fish caught in the Northeast Atlantic, e.g., Canary Islands (Spain) and Madeira (Portugal). The use of liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with neuroblastoma cell assay (N2a) allowed the initial confirmation of the presence of C-CTX1 in contaminated fish samples from the abovementioned areas, nevertheless the lack of commercially available reference materials for these particular ciguatoxin (CTX) analogues has been a major limitation to progress research. The EuroCigua project allowed the preparation of C-CTX1 laboratory reference material (LRM) from fish species (Seriola fasciata) from the Madeira archipelago (Portugal). This reference material was used to implement a liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) for the detection of C-CTX1, acquisition of full-scan as well as collision-induced mass spectra of this particular analogue. Fragmentation pathways were proposed based on fragments obtained. The optimized LC-HRMS method was then applied to confirm C-CTX1 in fish (Bodianus scrofa) caught in the Selvagens Islands (Portugal).
Pablo Estevez; Manoella Sibat; José Manuel Leão-Martins; Pedro Reis Costa; Ana Gago-Martínez; Philipp Hess. Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Confirmation of Caribbean Ciguatoxin-1 as the Main Toxin Responsible for Ciguatera Poisoning Caused by Fish from European Atlantic Coasts. Toxins 2020, 12, 267 .
AMA StylePablo Estevez, Manoella Sibat, José Manuel Leão-Martins, Pedro Reis Costa, Ana Gago-Martínez, Philipp Hess. Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Confirmation of Caribbean Ciguatoxin-1 as the Main Toxin Responsible for Ciguatera Poisoning Caused by Fish from European Atlantic Coasts. Toxins. 2020; 12 (4):267.
Chicago/Turabian StylePablo Estevez; Manoella Sibat; José Manuel Leão-Martins; Pedro Reis Costa; Ana Gago-Martínez; Philipp Hess. 2020. "Liquid Chromatography Coupled to High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry for the Confirmation of Caribbean Ciguatoxin-1 as the Main Toxin Responsible for Ciguatera Poisoning Caused by Fish from European Atlantic Coasts." Toxins 12, no. 4: 267.
Fish are frequently exposed to harmful algal blooms (HAB) and to related toxins. However, the biological effects of okadaic acid (OA), the most abundant and frequent HAB-toxin in Europe, South America and Asia, have been poorly investigated. In this study, fish swimming performance and metabolic rates were investigated in juveniles of Zebra seabream (Diplodus cervinus) exposed to OA-group toxins via dietary route, during three days. Fish fed on contaminated food accumulated up to 455.5 μg OA equiv. Kg−1. Significant lower mean critical swimming speed (Ucrit) were observed in fish orally exposed to OA (and its related isomer dinophysistoxin-1, DTX-1) than fish feeding on non-toxic diet. A tendency to higher demands of oxygen consumption was also recorded in OA-exposed fish at higher current velocities. This study indicates that fish may not be affected by OA-group toxins under basal conditions, but suggests a decrease in fitness linked to a reduction in swimming performance of fish exposed to OA under increased stimulus. OA and related toxins are suggested to have a cryptic effect on swimming performance that may be enhanced when fish deals with multiple stressors. Considering that a reduction in swimming performance may have impact on critical activities, such as foraging and escaping from predators, this study highlights the ecological risk associated with dinoflagellate toxic blooms, biotoxins food web transfer and fish contamination.
Mauro Corriere; Miguel Baptista; José R. Paula; Tiago Repolho; Rui Rosa; Pedro Reis Costa; Lucía Soliño. Impaired fish swimming performance following dietary exposure to the marine phycotoxin okadaic acid. Toxicon 2020, 179, 53 -59.
AMA StyleMauro Corriere, Miguel Baptista, José R. Paula, Tiago Repolho, Rui Rosa, Pedro Reis Costa, Lucía Soliño. Impaired fish swimming performance following dietary exposure to the marine phycotoxin okadaic acid. Toxicon. 2020; 179 ():53-59.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMauro Corriere; Miguel Baptista; José R. Paula; Tiago Repolho; Rui Rosa; Pedro Reis Costa; Lucía Soliño. 2020. "Impaired fish swimming performance following dietary exposure to the marine phycotoxin okadaic acid." Toxicon 179, no. : 53-59.
Ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) is one of the most devastating food-borne illnesses caused by fish consumption. Ciguatoxins (CTXs) are potent neurotoxins synthesized by the benthic microalgae Gambierdiscus spp. and Fukuyoa spp. that are transmitted to fish by grazing and predation. Despite the high incidence of CFP, affecting an estimated number of 50,000 persons per year in tropical and subtropical latitudes, the factors underlying CTXs occurrence are still not well understood. Toxin transfer and dynamics in fish and food-webs are complex. Feeding habits and metabolic pathways determine the toxin profile and toxicity of fish, and migratory species may transport and spread the hazard. Furthermore, CTX effect on fish may be a limiting factor for fish recruitment and toxin prevalence. Recently, new occurrences of Gambierdiscus spp. in temperate areas have been concomitant with the detection of toxic fish and CFP incidents in non-endemic areas. CFP cases in Europe have led to implementation of monitoring programs and fisheries restrictions with considerable impact on local economies. More than 400 species of fish can be vectors of CTXs, and most of them are high-valued commercial species. Thus, the risk uncertainty and the spread of Gambierdiscus have serious consequences for fisheries and food safety. Here, we present a critical review of CTXs impacts on fish, fisheries, and humans, based on the current knowledge on CFP incidence and CTXs prevalence in microalgae and fish.
Lucía Soliño; Pedro Reis Costa. Global impact of ciguatoxins and ciguatera fish poisoning on fish, fisheries and consumers. Environmental Research 2020, 182, 109111 .
AMA StyleLucía Soliño, Pedro Reis Costa. Global impact of ciguatoxins and ciguatera fish poisoning on fish, fisheries and consumers. Environmental Research. 2020; 182 ():109111.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLucía Soliño; Pedro Reis Costa. 2020. "Global impact of ciguatoxins and ciguatera fish poisoning on fish, fisheries and consumers." Environmental Research 182, no. : 109111.
Prevalence of marine biotoxins in seafood has been associated with increasing frequency, intensity, and duration of harmful algal blooms, and an increase of the geographical and temporal distribution of harmful algae [...].
Pedro Reis Costa; António Marques; Jorge Diogène. Marine Biotoxins and Seafood Poisoning. Toxins 2019, 11, 558 .
AMA StylePedro Reis Costa, António Marques, Jorge Diogène. Marine Biotoxins and Seafood Poisoning. Toxins. 2019; 11 (10):558.
Chicago/Turabian StylePedro Reis Costa; António Marques; Jorge Diogène. 2019. "Marine Biotoxins and Seafood Poisoning." Toxins 11, no. 10: 558.
The presence in EU waters of invasive tetrodotoxin (TTX) -harbouring puffer fishes has been receiving increasingly attention due to potential new threats posed by this potent neurotoxin. The present study investigates the occurrence of tetrodotoxin, saxitoxin (STX), and their analogues in two native puffer fish species from the NE Atlantic. High TTX content was detected by LC-MS/MS in several tissues of the Guinean puffer Sphoeroides marmoratus from Madeira Island (Portugal), reaching concentrations as high as 15 mg TTX kg−1 in the digestive tract of a male specimen and 7.4 mg TTX kg−1 in gonads of a female specimen. Several TTX analogues were also detected, including the 4-epi-TTX, 4,9-Anhydro-TTX, 5- 11- deoxyTTX and 6,11-dideoxyTTX. Although at low levels, STX was detected in liver of the Oceanic puffer Lagocephalus lagocephalus. Trace levels of decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX) were also observed in L. lagocephalus. This study reports the presence of TTX and STX in native fish from EU waters, highlighting the need for a proper understating of the origin, distribution and fate of these toxins in NE Atlantic.
Estefanía Pereira Pinto; Susana Margarida Rodrigues; Neide Gouveia; Viriato Timóteo; Pedro Reis Costa. Tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin in two native species of puffer fish, Sphoeroides marmoratus and Lagocephalus lagocephalus, from NE Atlantic Ocean (Madeira Island, Portugal). Marine Environmental Research 2019, 151, 104780 .
AMA StyleEstefanía Pereira Pinto, Susana Margarida Rodrigues, Neide Gouveia, Viriato Timóteo, Pedro Reis Costa. Tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin in two native species of puffer fish, Sphoeroides marmoratus and Lagocephalus lagocephalus, from NE Atlantic Ocean (Madeira Island, Portugal). Marine Environmental Research. 2019; 151 ():104780.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEstefanía Pereira Pinto; Susana Margarida Rodrigues; Neide Gouveia; Viriato Timóteo; Pedro Reis Costa. 2019. "Tetrodotoxin and saxitoxin in two native species of puffer fish, Sphoeroides marmoratus and Lagocephalus lagocephalus, from NE Atlantic Ocean (Madeira Island, Portugal)." Marine Environmental Research 151, no. : 104780.
Shellfish are filter-feeding organisms that may accumulate high levels of naturally-occurring toxins, produced by harmful algal blooms, and act as marine toxin vectors to whomever consumes them
Pedro Reis Costa; Reis Costa. Advances and Current Challenges in Marine Biotoxins Monitoring. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2019, 7, 302 .
AMA StylePedro Reis Costa, Reis Costa. Advances and Current Challenges in Marine Biotoxins Monitoring. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2019; 7 (9):302.
Chicago/Turabian StylePedro Reis Costa; Reis Costa. 2019. "Advances and Current Challenges in Marine Biotoxins Monitoring." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 7, no. 9: 302.
Marine biotoxins, produced as a secondary metabolite by certain phytoplankton species, can alter cellular processes of other organisms, from plankton to top predators. Phytoplankton cells, including those from harmful algal blooms (HABs) are the main nutritional source of zooplankton grazers and filter-feeding shellfish. The ability to metabolize and detoxify HAB toxins is critical to their survival, which most likely evolved to acquire resources that enable them to tolerate these toxins. Filter-feeding shellfish and zooplankton grazers, although susceptible to biotoxins, often act as potent toxin vectors in the marine ecosystem and not as victims. On the other hand, top predators at higher trophic levels that are less frequently exposed to HAB-toxins, may experience more severe effects. Accumulation, biotransformation, sequestration and transfer throughout the marine food web can affect different organisms causing a wide range of effects, from innocuous transient to sublethal or lethal effects, that in extreme cases generate events of mass mortality in higher vertebrates. Due to the global increase in frequency and intensity of HABs during the last decades, it is extremely important to understand the extent of the effects elicited by HAB toxins on marine organisms, therefore, an update on the effects of HAB toxins is needed. The present work reviews the currently available information regarding the effects of paralytic, amnesic, diarrhetic and neurotoxic shellfish toxins on marine organisms.
Vanessa Lopes; Pedro Reis Costa; Rui Rosa. Effects of Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins on Marine Organisms. Ecotoxicology of Marine Organisms 2019, 42 -88.
AMA StyleVanessa Lopes, Pedro Reis Costa, Rui Rosa. Effects of Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins on Marine Organisms. Ecotoxicology of Marine Organisms. 2019; ():42-88.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVanessa Lopes; Pedro Reis Costa; Rui Rosa. 2019. "Effects of Harmful Algal Bloom Toxins on Marine Organisms." Ecotoxicology of Marine Organisms , no. : 42-88.
Occurrence of tetrodotoxin (TTX), a potent natural neurotoxin, in marine organisms and seafood from the European Union has been of increasing concern due to its relatively recent detection in bivalve mollusks and gastropods. Following a request of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to EU Member States to obtain more data on TTX occurrence, this study collected 117 samples of bivalve mollusks, including mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis), oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and clams (Ruditapes philippinarum and Donax spp.), from the South and Southwest Portuguese coast between May and October 2018, for TTX determination and microbiological analysis. The analyses carried out by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) did not detect TTX in any sample, and microbiological analysis did not reveal high concentrations of Vibrio spp., which has been linked to the presence of TTX. Although preliminary, results from this study, the first investigating the presence of TTX in bivalve mollusks from the Portuguese coast, suggest that TTX may not represent a risk for human consumption of bivalve mollusks.
Susana Margarida Rodrigues; Estefanía Pereira Pinto; Patrícia Oliveira; Sonia Pedro; Pedro Reis Costa. Evaluation of the Occurrence of Tetrodotoxin in Bivalve Mollusks from the Portuguese Coast. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2019, 7, 232 .
AMA StyleSusana Margarida Rodrigues, Estefanía Pereira Pinto, Patrícia Oliveira, Sonia Pedro, Pedro Reis Costa. Evaluation of the Occurrence of Tetrodotoxin in Bivalve Mollusks from the Portuguese Coast. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2019; 7 (7):232.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSusana Margarida Rodrigues; Estefanía Pereira Pinto; Patrícia Oliveira; Sonia Pedro; Pedro Reis Costa. 2019. "Evaluation of the Occurrence of Tetrodotoxin in Bivalve Mollusks from the Portuguese Coast." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 7, no. 7: 232.
Warmer seawater temperatures are expected to increase harmful algal blooms (HABs) occurrence, intensity, and distribution. Yet, the potential interactions between abiotic stressors and HABs are still poorly understood from ecological and seafood safety perspectives. The present study aimed to investigate, for the first time, the bioaccumulation/depuration mechanisms and ecotoxicological responses of juvenile gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) exposed to paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) under different temperatures (18, 21, 24 °C). PST were detected in fish at the peak of the exposure period (day five, 0.22 µg g-1 N-sulfocarbamoylGonyautoxin-1-2 (C1 and C2), 0.08 µg g-1 Decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX) and 0.18 µg g-1 Gonyautoxin-5 (B1)), being rapidly eliminated (within the first 24 h of depuration), regardless of exposure temperature. Increased temperatures led to significantly higher PST contamination (275 µg STX eq. kg-1). During the trial, fish antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione S-transferase, GST) in both muscle and viscera were affected by temperature, whereas a significant induction of heat shock proteins (HSP70), Ubiquitin (Ub) activity (viscera), and lipid peroxidation (LPO; muscle) was observed under the combination of warming and PST exposure. The differential bioaccumulation and biomarker responses observed highlight the need to further understand the interactive effects between PST and abiotic stressors, to better estimate climate change impacts on HABs events, and to develop mitigation strategies to overcome the potential risks associated with seafood consumption.
Vera Barbosa; Marta Santos; Patrícia Anacleto; Ana Luísa Maulvault; Pedro Pousão-Ferreira; Pedro Reis Costa; António Marques. Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Ocean Warming: Bioaccumulation and Ecotoxicological Responses in Juvenile Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata). Toxins 2019, 11, 408 .
AMA StyleVera Barbosa, Marta Santos, Patrícia Anacleto, Ana Luísa Maulvault, Pedro Pousão-Ferreira, Pedro Reis Costa, António Marques. Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Ocean Warming: Bioaccumulation and Ecotoxicological Responses in Juvenile Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata). Toxins. 2019; 11 (7):408.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVera Barbosa; Marta Santos; Patrícia Anacleto; Ana Luísa Maulvault; Pedro Pousão-Ferreira; Pedro Reis Costa; António Marques. 2019. "Paralytic Shellfish Toxins and Ocean Warming: Bioaccumulation and Ecotoxicological Responses in Juvenile Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)." Toxins 11, no. 7: 408.
This study aimed to assess the bioaccessibility of different marine biotoxins in naturally contaminated shellfish and fish gonads using an in vitro digestion methodology. In general, hydrophilic toxins (domoic acid, paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins and tetrodotoxins) showed higher bioaccessibility than lipophilic ones (okadaic acid and azaspiracids). The bioaccessibility of toxins from the okadaic acid group ranged from 69% (raw European razor clams) to 74% (raw donax clams). Regarding azaspiracids, 47% of the initial content was bioaccessible in steamed blue mussel. As for hydrophilic toxins, 100% of the initial content was bioaccessible after digestion in raw shellfish and puffer fish gonads. The total tetrodotoxin bioaccessibility in puffer fish gonads decreased significantly after steaming. The profile of tetrodotoxins changed during the digestion process: TTX and 11-norTTX-6S-ol analogues decreased significantly after digestion, but the 5,6,11-trideoxy TTX analogue increased in both raw and steamed puffer fish gonads. These preliminary findings confirm the need to consider bioaccessibility data in future seafood risk assessment, as such information enables a more accurate and realistic estimation of potential seafood hazards, particularly in what concerns lipophilic toxins, therefore, constituting a crucial tool in the refinement of regulatory limits for the presence of biotoxins in seafood.
Ricardo N. Alves; Maria Rambla-Alegre; Ana Catarina Braga; Ana L. Maulvault; Vera Barbosa; Mònica Campàs; Laia Reverté; Cintia Flores; Josep Caixach; Jane Kilcoyne; Pedro Reis Costa; Jorge Diogène; António Marques. Bioaccessibility of lipophilic and hydrophilic marine biotoxins in seafood: An in vitro digestion approach. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2019, 129, 153 -161.
AMA StyleRicardo N. Alves, Maria Rambla-Alegre, Ana Catarina Braga, Ana L. Maulvault, Vera Barbosa, Mònica Campàs, Laia Reverté, Cintia Flores, Josep Caixach, Jane Kilcoyne, Pedro Reis Costa, Jorge Diogène, António Marques. Bioaccessibility of lipophilic and hydrophilic marine biotoxins in seafood: An in vitro digestion approach. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2019; 129 ():153-161.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRicardo N. Alves; Maria Rambla-Alegre; Ana Catarina Braga; Ana L. Maulvault; Vera Barbosa; Mònica Campàs; Laia Reverté; Cintia Flores; Josep Caixach; Jane Kilcoyne; Pedro Reis Costa; Jorge Diogène; António Marques. 2019. "Bioaccessibility of lipophilic and hydrophilic marine biotoxins in seafood: An in vitro digestion approach." Food and Chemical Toxicology 129, no. : 153-161.
Marine birds have been hypothesized to be underreported victims of harmful algal blooms (HABs). Toxic blooms of Pseudo-nitzschia spp., the primary amnesic toxin producer microalgae, domoic acid (DA) are known to cause massive mortalities of coastal seabirds and marine mammals around the world. However, these fatalities are only detected when birds die nearby the coastline and little is known about possible outbreaks of pelagic seabirds in oceanic areas. Here we aim to understand whether pelagic seabirds are exposed to amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) toxins. For this purpose, we tracked pelagic seabirds feeding on small epipelagic fish and squid, reported to be vectors of DA, which are obtained in high productivity zones where intense Pseudo-nitzschia blooms regularly occur. In particular, we tracked Cory’s (Calonectris borealis) and Scopoli’s (C. diomedea) shearwaters breeding in Gran Canaria (Canary Is.) and in Menorca (Balearic Is.) and feeding on the Canary Current region and the Catalonian coast, respectively. We sampled birds for blood at the recovery of the GPS (Global Positioning System) and analyzed it for DA determination by Liquid Chromatography coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Among the 61 samples analyzed from Gran Canaria, and 87 from Menorca, 31 (50.8%) and 28 (32.2%) from each location presented detectable levels of DA ranging 1.0–10.6 ng mL−1. This work reveals that DA can be detected at variable levels in the blood of ASP-asymptomatic shearwaters and suggests a chronic exposure of shearwaters to DA, highlighting the need for further studies on DA effects. These results are of high relevance due to the vulnerability of these marine birds, which populations are in continuous decline. Since global warming is expected to alter and increase the occurrence of HABs, marine toxins might become an additional stressor for seabirds and exacerbate the already precarious conservation status of many species.
Lucía Soliño; Joan Ferrer-Obiol; Leia Navarro-Herrero; Jacob Gonzalez-Solis; Pedro Reis Costa. Are pelagic seabirds exposed to amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins? Harmful Algae 2019, 84, 172 -180.
AMA StyleLucía Soliño, Joan Ferrer-Obiol, Leia Navarro-Herrero, Jacob Gonzalez-Solis, Pedro Reis Costa. Are pelagic seabirds exposed to amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins? Harmful Algae. 2019; 84 ():172-180.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLucía Soliño; Joan Ferrer-Obiol; Leia Navarro-Herrero; Jacob Gonzalez-Solis; Pedro Reis Costa. 2019. "Are pelagic seabirds exposed to amnesic shellfish poisoning toxins?" Harmful Algae 84, no. : 172-180.
Ciguatoxins (CTXs), endemic from tropical and subtropical regions of the Pacific and Indian Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, have caused several human poisonings during the last decade in Europe. Ciguatera fish poisonings (CFP) in Madeira and Canary Islands appear to be particularly related with consumption of fish caught close to Selvagens Islands, a Portuguese natural reserve composed of three small islands that harbor high fish biomass. In this study, fish specimens considered as potential vectors of CTXs were caught in Madeira and Selvagens archipelagos for toxins determination via sensitive liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection (LC–MS/MS). CTXs were found in most of the fish samples from Selvagens and none from Madeira. Caribbean ciguatoxin-1 (C-CTX1) was the only toxin congener determined, reaching the highest value of 0.25 µg C-CTX1 kg−1 in a 4.6 kg island grouper (Mycteroperca fusca). This study indicates that a diversity of fish from different trophic levels contains CTXs, Selvagens appear to be one of the most favorable locations for CTXs food web transfer and finally, this study highlights the need of further research based on intensive environmental and biological sampling on these remote islands.
Pedro Reis Costa; Pablo Estevez; David Castro; Lucía Soliño; Neide Gouveia; Carolina Santos; Susana Margarida Rodrigues; José Manuel Leao; Ana Gago-Martínez. New Insights into the Occurrence and Toxin Profile of Ciguatoxins in Selvagens Islands (Madeira, Portugal). Toxins 2018, 10, 524 .
AMA StylePedro Reis Costa, Pablo Estevez, David Castro, Lucía Soliño, Neide Gouveia, Carolina Santos, Susana Margarida Rodrigues, José Manuel Leao, Ana Gago-Martínez. New Insights into the Occurrence and Toxin Profile of Ciguatoxins in Selvagens Islands (Madeira, Portugal). Toxins. 2018; 10 (12):524.
Chicago/Turabian StylePedro Reis Costa; Pablo Estevez; David Castro; Lucía Soliño; Neide Gouveia; Carolina Santos; Susana Margarida Rodrigues; José Manuel Leao; Ana Gago-Martínez. 2018. "New Insights into the Occurrence and Toxin Profile of Ciguatoxins in Selvagens Islands (Madeira, Portugal)." Toxins 10, no. 12: 524.
Harmful algal blooms are responsible worldwide for the contamination of fishery resources, with potential impacts on seafood safety and public health. Most coastal countries rely on an intense monitoring program for the surveillance of toxic algae occurrence and shellfish contamination. The present study investigates the use of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for the rapid in situ determination of cell concentrations of toxic algae in seawater. The paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxin-producing dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum was selected for this study. The spectral modeling by partial least squares (PLS) regression based on the recorded NIR spectra enabled the building of highly accurate (R2 = 0.92) models for cell abundance. The models also provided a good correlation between toxins measured by the conventional methods (high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD)) and the levels predicted by the PLS/NIR models. This study represents the first necessary step in investigating the potential of application of NIR spectroscopy for algae bloom detection and alerting.
Marta Belchior Lopes; Ana Amorim; Cecília Calado; Pedro Reis Costa. Determination of Cell Abundances and Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Cultures of the Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum by Fourier Transform Near Infrared Spectroscopy. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 2018, 6, 147 .
AMA StyleMarta Belchior Lopes, Ana Amorim, Cecília Calado, Pedro Reis Costa. Determination of Cell Abundances and Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Cultures of the Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum by Fourier Transform Near Infrared Spectroscopy. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2018; 6 (4):147.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarta Belchior Lopes; Ana Amorim; Cecília Calado; Pedro Reis Costa. 2018. "Determination of Cell Abundances and Paralytic Shellfish Toxins in Cultures of the Dinoflagellate Gymnodinium catenatum by Fourier Transform Near Infrared Spectroscopy." Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 6, no. 4: 147.
Domoic acid (DA) is a neurotoxin naturally produced by Pseudo-nitzschia diatoms that may be transferred through the marine food web and cause mass mortality events at higher trophic levels. Yet, the effects of the dissolved marine toxin on foraging responses and swimming performances of fish early stages are poorly known. Here we evaluated the effects of short-term exposure (24 h) to a single dose of domoic acid (136 μg DA L−1) on larvae (15–20 days post-hatch) of three commercially important fish species (the sea breams Diplodus sargus and Sparus aurata and the meagre Argyrosomus regius). Although DA exposure did not elicit significant effects on larval survival (p > 0.05) and swimming performance (p > 0.05), the toxin significantly affected the fish capture success (p < 0.001). Our findings suggest that toxigenic Pseudo-nitzschia blooms may compromise fish early stages, in particular larvae feeding behaviours, leading to complications in the development and increasing fish vulnerability and mortality.
Luana Fiorella Mincarelli; José Ricardo Paula; Pedro Pousão-Ferreira; Rui Rosa; Pedro Reis Costa. Effects of acute waterborne exposure to harmful algal toxin domoic acid on foraging and swimming behaviours of fish early stages. Toxicon 2018, 156, 66 -71.
AMA StyleLuana Fiorella Mincarelli, José Ricardo Paula, Pedro Pousão-Ferreira, Rui Rosa, Pedro Reis Costa. Effects of acute waterborne exposure to harmful algal toxin domoic acid on foraging and swimming behaviours of fish early stages. Toxicon. 2018; 156 ():66-71.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuana Fiorella Mincarelli; José Ricardo Paula; Pedro Pousão-Ferreira; Rui Rosa; Pedro Reis Costa. 2018. "Effects of acute waterborne exposure to harmful algal toxin domoic acid on foraging and swimming behaviours of fish early stages." Toxicon 156, no. : 66-71.